Side Story Champions of the Arena III: Cursed Company

In all of the chaos, Daniel had not even realized Forge's unfortunate fate. He was just grateful that the man he saved was okay. Daniel felt good hearing that he had saved somebody's life. Still, a part of him wished the man he had saved had been the missing Ouka.

"W-What can I do to help?" Daniel asked the Doctor. He was pouting at the idea of going into the sewers but he knew they really had to get out of there.

@Sark @Takumi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Jeremi @York @TeamPrudence


Team PRUDENCE
"Let's... Let's avoid the topic of knives for now, hm?" The Doctor chirped, prying the fuse-box open. He signaled to Ramuda with a flapping finger, calling him to his side. "To be entirely frank, Mr. Ramone, I wouldn't trust you with a pair of scissors, let alone a bladed weapon. Now, if you could so kindly place your hand here--" The Doctor directed Ramuda's wrist over to the fuse-box and set it down upon a small, silver switch. "--Keep it pressed down until I say you can release it. In the meantime, continue to dwell upon your infiltration fantasies and fancy dresses, hm? Anything to keep your mouth shut..."




"Ah..."
The Doctor froze at the suggestion of Daniel providing him some assistance. A concerned specter loomed behind his eyes. He chewed upon his gaunt cheeks. "Yes... of course, young man. Just... stand by my side. Right here. Away from the wall. Come, come..." The Doctor placed his hand upon Daniel's chest and forcibly slid him out of the path of some unseen harm. "Quickly. Quickly..."

"Easy now..." Rhodey called down from the surface. He placed his hand upon Ifrit's shoulder and did his best to hoist her up. "Where there are sewers, there's methane. If your fire explodes down there, you could take out the whole--"

BOOOM!

Concrete soared high above the rooftops. Smoke. Shrapnel. Ribbons of fire seared the sky. James and Ifrit were tossed like ragdolls, a concussive wave forcing them away from the manhole. "Cover!" Rhodey roared, dragging Ifrit into a nearby alley. He turned his eyes towards the few, remaining pedestrians. "Get down! Everyone get down!"

Chunks of concrete rained down upon the city.​
Ifrit
@Sark @Others? (Surface, post explosion)

It all happened so fast. At first, Ifrit let her fire disspating, nodding in silent agreement to Rhodey's words. And then... What she had thought she had narrowly avoided came to pass; the sewers more or less detonated.

She was sent flying through the air alongside Rhodey, but Ifrit had practice with landing strategies. Multiple times by now, she had been deployed from the air, landing in the middle of enemy lines, flamethrower in hand as she laid waste to their forces.

But in her lethargic state, coupled with the lack of a flamethrower to act as a counterweight, Ifrit's landing was much more disorderly, and as a last ditch effort, she threw out her hands, scraping them on the blacktop, before stumbling to her feet only to be grabbed by Rhodey again, dragged into a nearby alley.

She clutched her head, a similar expression on her face that had briefly flashed there before, as if she were mentally conversing with someone, or something again.

"Not my fault... Not my fault notmyfaultnotmyfault!!!" She shouted weakly.

The only thing keeping her voice from growing too loud was her still somewhat lethargic state. But in spite of that, she forced her body to steady itself, turning to the few others that may still be left on the surface, then to Rhodey, calm, but looking almost hopefull.

"Was it me? Did I... Do that...?" She asked, quieter this time.

She had promised those back at Rhodes Island she would behave better... That she wouldn't cause so much destruction anymore, but would it all have been in vain?​
 

Team PRUDENCE
"Let's... Let's avoid the topic of knives for now, hm?" The Doctor chirped, prying the fuse-box open. He signaled to Ramuda with a flapping finger, calling him to his side. "To be entirely frank, Mr. Ramone, I wouldn't trust you with a pair of scissors, let alone a bladed weapon. Now, if you could so kindly place your hand here--" The Doctor directed Ramuda's wrist over to the fuse-box and set it down upon a small, silver switch. "--Keep it pressed down until I say you can release it. In the meantime, continue to dwell upon your infiltration fantasies and fancy dresses, hm? Anything to keep your mouth shut..."




"Ah..."
The Doctor froze at the suggestion of Daniel providing him some assistance. A concerned specter loomed behind his eyes. He chewed upon his gaunt cheeks. "Yes... of course, young man. Just... stand by my side. Right here. Away from the wall. Come, come..." The Doctor placed his hand upon Daniel's chest and forcibly slid him out of the path of some unseen harm. "Quickly. Quickly..."

"Easy now..." Rhodey called down from the surface. He placed his hand upon Ifrit's shoulder and did his best to hoist her up. "Where there are sewers, there's methane. If your fire explodes down there, you could take out the whole--"

BOOOM!

Concrete soared high above the rooftops. Smoke. Shrapnel. Ribbons of fire seared the sky. James and Ifrit were tossed like ragdolls, a concussive wave forcing them away from the manhole. "Cover!" Rhodey roared, dragging Ifrit into a nearby alley. He turned his eyes towards the few, remaining pedestrians. "Get down! Everyone get down!"

Chunks of concrete rained down upon the city.




Team OBLIVION
"Now... that wasn't too hard, was it?" The Salesman chirped, snatching the shilling from the Wizard's hand. The Salesman's eyes had triggered a change within him. It was hard to describe. Hard to pin point. But it was almost as if he had suddenly recognized the old wizard. He reached into his jacket and offered Shang a pair of crisp, clean maps. With a smile and tip of his hat, he bid them farewell. "Have another one on the house. Have a good day, now..."

"Thank you, sir," Evie tipped her head and paid the man with a smile. She plucked one of the maps from his hand and tucked it away inside her jacket. "And the same to you. Now..." The Assassin broke away from the queue and started to run after Team Prudence, gesturing for her team to follow. "We've wasted enough time here as it is. Let's get a move on. If we're going to get the others on side... or at least, if we want to try and get through to them, we're going to have to move quickly. I'm guess that the old man is slow enough, but I'm willing to wager that a situation as dire as this is enough to put a spring in even his step. If he's as spry as Shang, then we might--"

Evie stopped at the edge of the street. She squinted down the road, observing two blurry figures in the distance.
"Those people... they're the strangers from Team Oblivion! They're heading into the sewers, we can still---"

BOOOM!

Concrete soared high above the rooftops. Smoke. Shrapnel. Ribbons of fire seared the sky. One member of Team Prudence ran and ducked for cover, screaming for some nearby pedestrians to do the same. He dragged his comrade down an alley after him. Team Oblivion, were met with a raging win and the roar of a charging dust clown. The flash of the flames were enough to momentarily blind them, but the stun didn't last. The frightened screams of some nearby civilians were enough to sober their stunned senses.

"Get down! Everybody, get down!"



Team DEAD HEARTS
A fist, falling like a hammer, was enough the scatter the Dead Hearts. Sinestro ducked and ran mere moments after Josuke and Mato had fallen back. He had avoided the Titan's wrath by a hair's breadth. He was off his game. He wasn't thinking clearly. Couldn't focus. He should have held his ground. He should have paid better attention. He should have summoned a construct. He should have done something- anything- to cripple the beast. Instead, its hand hovered 5 feet off of the ground, repelled only by the strength of Spitfire.
View attachment 9103
"Sewers!" Spitfire growled with excursion as she slowly forced the creature's fist from her person. "Hurry! Get out of h--"

SHNKT

A dagger tore through Jackie's abdomen. A flesh wound. A bloody flesh wound. A cripplingly painful flesh found, but if she could reach a doctor in time, she still stood a chance at surviving. She fell onto her hands and knees and started to scurry run through her agony. All she had to do was--

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three bullets lodged themselves in Spitfire's back. She parted her lips to scream. Her cries were lost somewhere in her throat. She fell forward, still, irresponsible but still, breathing. Her pulse was rapidly slowing. The aging effects of Zora's bullets didn't seem to phase the Spitfire, but bullets were bullets. They weren't part of a balanced diet.

Sinestro called forth a golden barrier to shelter his allies from the projectile storm. Every bullet it deflected seemed to drain his ring at an alarming rate, but he held strong. 90%, 80%, 70%. It would remain functional for much longer. 60%. 50% 40%. Sinetro hoisted Jackie up onto his shoulder. 35%. 30%. He started to sprint after Josuke and Mato, a bloody trail staining the streets behind him. 25%. 20%. The last of the Dead Hearts vanished around the street corner.

With a flash of gold, Sinestro sent the cover flying up a nearby manhole.

"Everyone inside! They won't give up this easily! Get in!"

6 boots touched down upon the sewer floor. A protective, hard-light second skin crawled across Jackie's person, shielding her from infection. Another flash of golden welded the manhole shut behind the Dead Hearts.

"It won't hold them. They'll follow the bread crumbs. They'll follow the blood." He snapped with conviction. "We need to keep moving. Just because the Titan can't follow us down here doesn't mean that--" He froze. "Shh! Voices!" He whispered, pressing his back against the wall. "From up tunnel!"

"Ya never know though someone might ask if you're my Grampa, it might make a good cover for something... Anyway, what do you need me to do, Doc?"
"Keep it pressed down until I say you can release it. In the meantime, continue to dwell upon your infiltration fantasies and fancy dresses, hm? Anything to keep your mouth shut..."
"W-What can I do to help?"
"Ah... Yes... of course, young man. Just... stand by my side. Right here. Away from the wall. Come, come... Quickly... Quickly..."
"I can make fire--"
"Easy now--"


"What on Earth are they---?"

BOOOM!

The sewers trembled. A wave of smoke and ash screamed down the throat of the sewer and washed over the Dead Hearts. The forced of the cloud alone was enough to knock the Conscripts onto their backs. The deafening roar of the explosion itself was enough to send their heads spinning and the ears ringing. The explosion had been close. Too close.

Footsteps. Overhead. A group of Conscripts were charging towards the explosion.




Team NEXIUM
View attachment 9104
"Bravo!" Android 17 applauded with a smirk. "You really put the fear of Godot in them... whatever the Hell that is. Another Conscript's down and out, and I didn't even have to get off of my ass... Arcade made a big mistake putting the lot of us together, let me tell ya..." With a hum, 17 kicked himself up off of the edge of the fountain and returned to the remainder of his team. "Whatever advantage the Dead Hearts once had? It's long gone. Unless that blonde chick checks in with a doctor in the next hour or so, we can count that as another point for us. That's another man down, gents. Give yourselves a pat on the back."

"Don't count your hens until they're on your plate, Android..." The Eleven hissed as he stepped off of the Titan's wrist. "Have you ever been down into the sewers of a city like this?"

"Judging by the look of your..." 17 smirked. "I'm guessing that you're familiar with them."

"Remarkable. The Android thinks he's a comedian." The Time Lord sneered, his demeanor shifting again. His tone was cold. Cutting. He carried himself taller them before. His eyes were somehow darker. "Think about it critically. This city is enormous. Its sewers no doubt stretch on for miles. It'll be dark. Their movements will be sheltered by their echoes. If we attack them whilst their down there, then they'll have a home-ground advantage. We'd be ambushed. We'd be vulnerable. Without the Titan, we could very well be killed... or at least, you very well might be..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" 17's smile faded. His arms folded across his chest.

"It simply means that I have a few more tricks up my sleeve than my appearance might reveal..." The Time Lord grinned. "But that's not important right now. No... No. Right now we need for form a plan. Something prudent. Something careful. We cannot simply jump into the sewers and start blowing things u--"

BOOOM!

"You hear that?" Android 17 chuckled. He turned towards the site of the blast and started to drink in its direction. "That's the sound of the party starting without us!"


Team PRUDENCE/OBLIVION/NEXIUM/DEAD HEART
The smoke from the blast was already starting to clear. At the heart of the blast, Hank Henshaw knelt, the victim of a targeted gas-main explosion. Smoldering, but alive, the Cyborg's systems were sent into a flurrying cycle of reboots and reloads. The Doctor stepped away from the fuse-box, a mischievous grin pinned to his lips. He writhed his fingers around a small, silver object. An override filter, by the looks of things. The explosion was no accident. It was an assassination attempt.

"My, my!" The Doctor chirped as he cautious approached the Cyborg. "You're still alive! What a resilient soul you are!" He raised a hand behind him, signaling for Ramuda and Daniel to stay back. The Doctor protected children. It was simply what he did. There was no point defying that golden rule. Not yet, anyway. "Stay put, my dear friends... this man is a very dangerous individual! A murderer! A backstabber! A genocidal maniac intent on killing each and everyone of us, regardless of our Team Allegiances!" The Doctor continued his approach, as cautiously as a hunter might approach a wounded predator. "Got anything to say for yourself, hm? Or are you speech centers still recovering? No matter... I was planning on doing all the talking myself, anyway..." The Doctor crouched down beside Henshaw. Electricity continued crackled across the Cyborg's mechanical parts. The Doctor set the override filter down upon the machine-man head, like a treat on a dog's nose. "There's a good boy." He chuckled. "Tell me, Mr. Henshaw: What type of buffoon do you take me for? A case of mistaken identity? No... you know exactly how I am, don't you? And I know exactly who your are, in turn. You'd be wise to stay out of my way, old chap. I shan't warn you again." The Doctor picked himself up off of the floor and dusted down his trousers. He lightly ruffled Henshaw's hair. "Ah, don't worry. Your systems will be back online shorty. You'll be fine before you know it." The Doctor doesn't kill after all. "Though... by then, we'll all be long gone. We. Ha. I am exclusively referring to my companions and I, of course. In our absence, you'll find yourself in some new company... though I doubt they shall be as merciful as I..."

The Time Lord wrapped his scarf around his mouth and coughed up a lung-full of smoke. He stepped away from the Cyborg and returned to his team. The smoky haze was growing thicker by the second. The Doctor placed his hands upon the backs of Ramuda and Daniel and pushed them until they ran. The Time Lord wrapped his scarf around his mouth and coughed up a lung-full of smoked. "Get out! Everyone! We must leave him! Remember: He would have done far worse to us, had we given him the chance, believe me!" He wheezed. "Hurry! Down the tunnel!"

Around the corner, Sinestro raised his ring. His brow was bejeweled with sweat. His fingers twitched. He couldn't bring himself the blink. Footsteps. Voices. Explosions. They were bad omens, to say the least.
View attachment 9107
"We've got company inbound, Dead Hearts! Prepare yourselves! Anticipate hostility!"

[18% Remaining]

Above ground, Evie offered the elderly wizard an arm to lean upon. Hidden under a veil of smoke, Team Oblivion watched helplessly 17 soared overhead. The Eleven wandered through the smoke after him, oblivious to Oblivion's presence. The Assassin pressed her fingers to her lips as Team Nexium approached the scene.
"Shh... Nobody panic... No sudden movements... they can't see us... they don't know we're here..."

Android 17's cold eyes locked onto the body of the wounded Cyborg Superman. The Sewer's latest skylight gave the conscripts an excelent view of the kneeling Kryptonian. "Hey, Gents!" He called out to the rest of Team Nexium. "You'll never guess who I've found... And you'll never guess what he's kneeling in..."

From the cove of a nearby alleyway, Rhodey coughed himself away. "This..." Rhodey wheezed, offering Ifrit a hand. "This makes no sense! Your fire didn't even explo--" The hairs on Rhodey's neck stood on their ends. "Something's wrong..."

With a hum and a hiss, the Cyborg's systems were fully recovered. The Hunt was back on.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// JANET VAN DYNE
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^

ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy


Paying no mind to Hank below the surface, Zora stepped forward after her keen hearing picked up a couple of words.

“...panic... movements... can’t see us...”
“...would appear... air... boon...fear...”

She walked forward, slowly, methodically, each step brings the clanking of metal and the rustle of bullets in their chamber.

She started to whistle an old slow melody, as if she was taunting her opponents to come out.

The steps stopped, the melody slowed, and as the final note rang out... the smoke started to dissipate, a result of her dialing back the amount of smoke in the area.


JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Yun Lee @MagatsuNoImouto @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy

Josuke pulled out Soft and Wet, preparing for the worst.​

Daniel didn't rally get how or why the explosion had happened, but in his shock he had no choice but to let the Doctor push him forward. He didn't care much for the cyborg but it seemed to Daniel this old man wasn't much better for company.

Once thy were a good distance away, Daniel stopped running and turned on the Doctor. "Where are we going anyway? Do you even know?!"

@Sark @Takumi



With their cover gone, the situation seemed grim, but to Phi it all seemed rather obvious what to do now.

"I say we get the hell out of here!"

Grabbing one copy of the two maps, Phi scanned it quickly for a place to go.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy @TeamOblivion
@Capri


df04012f5218f4f54c39e8cc42e6a882e96294ea.jpg


Deciding not to correct the other when he got his name wrong, the pinkette let the Doctor guide his hand with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Uwah, so mean Doc! I can totally be trusted with scissors at the least! It's not like I'd run with them or someth-" Ramuda started with a pout, but was cut off by the sudden explosion. Silence followed as dust and debris rained down above, and he vaguely remember something about gas that was mentioned earlier. Gas leak? Ah, maybe it was best that girl didn't get too far down here with her flames.

Coughing at the sudden dust and smoke, he blinked teary blue eyes to clear his vision as he waved away dust from his face.

c5126576c11e6dd6e4087c402d743cba0809508c.jpg


"Eh?" Ramuda blinked again, tilting his head as the Doctor told him and Daniel to stay back watching as he spoke to Hank, before stumbling slightly as him and Daniel were suddenly pushed forward into a run before he could process the hostility between Hank and Doc any further.

What was he playing at? It looked like Ramuda would have to be a bit more careful with his 'teammate' in this case.

"I don't think even he knows. This whole place is foreign territory after all." Ramuda huffed, before glancing to the Doctor.

"Careful Doc, who knows what all that dust'll do to your lungs? Can't have you getting sick, y'know?" He chided playfully though the furrow of his brow and flicker of some hidden emotion appeared in his eyes briefly, he quickly quieted when he swore he heard voices ahead, narrowing his eyes in response then.

Dead Hearts? Did he hear that right? Well, if he had to compare to the other teams, Dead Hearts and Oblivion were ones he'd rather run into then those Nexium freaks.

"We're not hostile like those murder hobos up top." He called warily to the Dead Hearts through the lingering smoke.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Team Prudence

@Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Team Dead Hearts @Sewers


Not making a sound, the white haired man frowned deeply, tense and uncomfortable in such an uncertain and high risk situation. What was it Nezumi said all those years ago? Something about being able to save himself or not relying on someone? He needed to think quickly, at the very least, else their group would end up in a tight spot.

Shion carefully placed a finger to his lips from where he hid, urging his teammates to quiet once he heard Zora's footsteps and whistling.

tumblr_inline_p8qocinsnO1svbhms_100.jpg


"!!" His red gaze landed on Suigetsu for a moment, about to make a gesture at the other to not shout when he noticed that in the end it didn't matter much when their cover was pretty much already blown.

Gaze landing on Phi as she spoke he nodded. He didn't know what the rest could do in such a situation, but he didn't have a means to protect himself nor fight with currently unless he improvised.

While Phi quickly scanned for a place to go, Shion took a quick glance around their general vicinity for something that could of been of use either now or later.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Space_Candy @Team Oblivion
 
Something to remember for the future. "Idiots," Henshaw murmured as he got back to his feet. "If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you were working for Arcade personally." He pointed an accusing finger at 17 in particular. "A construct like yourself should understand the pointlessness of it. You were hired for one thing and one thing only. The death of Arcade. Everything else is trivial."

He then looked past 17 and the others and spoke into the darkness. "What will you do, Thaal Sinestro?" Henshaw spoke into the darkness. "Is this how the leader of the Sinestro Corps strikes fear in man? Cowering like a rat?"
Team NEXIUM/Cyborg Superman
"Construct? Please..." Android 17 scoffed, tucking his hair back behind his ears. "I'm a Cyborg. Judging by appearances, I'm more of a man than you are... both metaphorically and literally. Spare us the lecture, spit-curl. Get offa your high horse, and get out of the sewer. I don't want to stain by jeans when I kick your ass..." The Android cracked his neck. "We're gonna kill you. Just like we killed your son." Same eyes. Same hair. Conner and Hank shared enough of a resemblance to provide the basis of 17's hunch. Besides. They had even decided to coordinate shirts. It must have been 'bring your kid to work day', or something. "And we won't be doing it for Arcade's benefit. Sure, the end-game is the get the creeps attention, but we're doing this for us. We're doing it because it looks fun!" A golden ball of ki burned within the Android's palm. "Tell me, Tin-Man... Do you think you can last long enough to keep me entertained?"

Down in the darkness, Sinestro remained silent. Silent as the grave. To Sinestro, Henshaw was nothing but a relic to a time gone by, a rusting tribute from a failed campaign against the Green Lantern corps. He wasn't going to dignify his taunts. Not let. No. He'd bide his time. He bit his tongue, readying his ring. The Cyborg would choke on the light of fear soon enough. He just had to stay patient. He just had to stay calm. He just had to... keep it together.

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^


"It would appear our plan has evaporated into thin air," Shang Tsung remarked quietly to Eevie before a smirk crept unto his face. "Or perhaps a boon if we wish to...strike fear." Despite saying that the wizard still kept himself in the smoke to not let himself be seen.
Paying no mind to Hank below the surface, Zora stepped forward after her keen hearing picked up a couple of words.

“...panic... movements... can’t see us...”
“...would appear... air... boon...fear...”

She walked forward, slowly, methodically, each step brings the clanking of metal and the rustle of bullets in their chamber.

She started to whistle an old slow melody, as if she was taunting her opponents to come out.

The steps stopped, the melody slowed, and as the final note rang out... the smoke started to dissipate, a result of her dialing back the amount of smoke in the area.
Eren didn't expect for his fist to be held off like that, the Titan being forced away as the rest of the Dead Hearts team scrambled away. They mentioned the sewers, right? That... wasn't really a place he could go to, even if he tried something similar to what another Titan shifter pulled off when it came to people hiding in the underground tunnels. It wasn't like he could harden his Titan's skin, so if he tried stomping hard enough to break into the the sewers, he would just cripple himself in the process. He glanced at his arms, both were steaming from the passive regenerative effect. It wasn't like he'll be up at full capacity like earlier, in fact, it felt like his Titan body was almost practically spent. That in itself was odd, figuring that Eren could keep his Titan body going for a lot longer than this, but it could be the different type of enemies he was facing made it harder on himself.

Regardless, the Titan trudged on from where 17 called them over. Since, well, he couldn't communicate too well in his Titan body, Eren was at a loss on how to convey to his teammates that he didn't have much longer with this body. Once he got close enough, he couldn't stand upright anymore, and just like that, the Titan collapsed on the ground leading up to the sewers crude entrance and it didn't look like it would be in action anymore. It wasn't long until the enormous body began to... evaporate rapidly. From the nape of the Titan's neck, Eren emerged out of it, tearing himself away from the dissipating skin tissue that bound him to this Titan body in the first place.

❝ ... doesn't this look like we could get taken by surprise here? ❞ Eren asked with an exhausted breath, equipping his mobility gear onto his person after his discarded Titan body's jaw went slack and released his spoils from the fountain area to the ground. Ignoring the fact that it was covered in warm saliva, the gear being intact was a miracle in itself. Aside from that, Eren cautiously stayed back behind 17 and Zora. He felt like he could faint at any moment, judging from how taxing his transformation into a Titan was to him.

During this, Rock observed that her teammates were preparing themselves for more incoming danger, giving an affirmative nod before readying her cannon in advance. She heard all sorts of voices, like the entire "cast" that Arcade's gathered for this death match were oh-so-dangerously close to each other once again. Just like that sewer explosion, all it could take was someone to pull the trigger in such a congested space, and all hell would be let loose... Rock and by extension Mato hoped that the chain result didn't introduce more loss of life.
"YAHOO!"

A man formed out of the water, a sharp-toothed grin plastered on his face as he pulled out his sword. He looked back and forth at the current state- the others barely noticing his arrival.

"Man, you guys all suck," he scoffed.

Team NEXIUM/OBLIVION
A boon. The Wizard was right. There was no other way to describe it. The Cowgirl's whistling taunts was a minor setback. There was no denying that. But any damage it might have caused to her plan was swiftly reversed with a single retch of the former-Titan's mouth. Team Nexium had been kind enough to deliver her gear to her. What a band of generous souls!

"I'll catch up. Don't look back." She whispered grimly. "Just go."

Zora's final note sounded. The veil was gone. Moving like a black blur, Evie ran across the street. A leap. A jump. A skid through the Titan's saliva. Evie threw herself into the mound of gear. A cloud of pale fog concealed her new position. She had detonated a smoke bomb. God, she missed smoke-bombs. Ducking behind another one of Rhodey's armored boxes, Evie fastened her hidden blade to her wrist.

Fsst!

A dark pierced Zora's necked. A poison? No. It was adrenaline. Pure, undiluted adrenaline. Her heart raced. Her head pounder. She saw red. Nothing but red. Screaming. Roaring. Red. Everyone was out to get her. Everyone. 17. The Eleven. Eren. They were going to betray her. They were going to kill her! Couldn't think. Couldn't focus. She just wanted to hurt something. Anything. The dark sent the Cowgirl into a berserker fury. She could no longer distinguish friend from foe.

With a howl, Evie leaped over the pile of gear, a long, silver walking cane in hand. She plucked upon the cane's handle. A flash of silver. She drew her cane sword.

"Come on then!" Evie screamed, striking her sword and sheathe together. "Lost ya bottes? Come on! Who's first?!"

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^


With their cover gone, the situation seemed grim, but to Phi it all seemed rather obvious what to do now.

"I say we get the hell out of here!"

Grabbing one copy of the two maps, Phi scanned it quickly for a place to go.
Not making a sound, the white haired man frowned deeply, tense and uncomfortable in such an uncertain and high risk situation. What was it Nezumi said all those years ago? Something about being able to save himself or not relying on someone? He needed to think quickly, at the very least, else their group would end up in a tight spot.

Shion carefully placed a finger to his lips from where he hid, urging his teammates to quiet once he heard Zora's footsteps and whistling.

"!!" His red gaze landed on Suigetsu for a moment, about to make a gesture at the other to not shout when he noticed that in the end it didn't matter much when their cover was pretty much already blown.

Gaze landing on Phi as she spoke he nodded. He didn't know what the rest could do in such a situation, but he didn't have a means to protect himself nor fight with currently unless he improvised.

While Phi quickly scanned for a place to go, Shion took a quick glance around their general vicinity for something that could of been of use either now or later.
The Map not only contained a detailed outline of the city and its many, winding buildings, but it also contained a list of the city's attractions. What more could any self respecting tourist want? The Map revealed that the city was divided into two, large segments.

Royal Town:
  • Home to our Nation Mighty, Absolute King, James XVII
  • Home to our glorious Houses of parliament, open to all!
  • The finest tailors any man could want!
  • The most incredible restaurants you could imagine! No Rif-Raf allowed!
  • A splendid set of parks!

Subject's Town:
  • Markets as far as the eye can see!
  • Buy some imported fabrics at the largest dock this side of the see!
  • The finest prostitutes in the country!
  • Come down to the Court-House! We're hanging treasonous bastards this afternoon!
  • An investors tour of the Work Houses will occurring each day at noon.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^


"Not my fault... Not my fault notmyfaultnotmyfault!!!" She shouted weakly.

The only thing keeping her voice from growing too loud was her still somewhat lethargic state. But in spite of that, she forced her body to steady itself, turning to the few others that may still be left on the surface, then to Rhodey, calm, but looking almost hopefull.

"Was it me? Did I... Do that...?" She asked, quieter this time.
Team PRUDENCE/NEXIUM
"No." Rhodey replied sternly, a silver flash bouncing off of his faceplate. In a flash of silver, the mechanical box he had fought so hard to secure had been opened, and its contents had been removed. Rhodey, now armored and armed, placed a cold hand upon Ifrit's shoulder. [I pulled you outta the sewer long before things went to Hell. This isn't on you.]
View attachment 9115
[You and me? We're gonna find whoever is responsible and knock 'em down a few pegs... but finding the rest of the Team PRUDENCE has to be priority Numero Uno. Do you think you can hold it together until we get back to the sewers? We've gotta fight past the NEXIUMs, the Dead Hearts and the OBLIVIONs, and I need to know that I can count on you!]

Outside the alley, the distant sounds of combat grew louder. The veil of smoke grew thinner. The hiding pair's advantage was slipping further and further away by the minute. They needed to act soon, lest the element of surprise was lost for good. Unless they hurried, they would no doubt be spotted.

"Lost ya bottles? Come on! Who's first?"

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi @York ^


CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^


Daniel didn't rally get how or why the explosion had happened, but in his shock he had no choice but to let the Doctor push him forward. He didn't care much for the cyborg but it seemed to Daniel this old man wasn't much better for company.

Once thy were a good distance away, Daniel stopped running and turned on the Doctor. "Where are we going anyway? Do you even know?!"
"Eh?" Ramuda blinked again, tilting his head as the Doctor told him and Daniel to stay back watching as he spoke to Hank, before stumbling slightly as him and Daniel were suddenly pushed forward into a run before he could process the hostility between Hank and Doc any further.

What was he playing at? It looked like Ramuda would have to be a bit more careful with his 'teammate' in this case.

"I don't think even he knows. This whole place is foreign territory after all." Ramuda huffed, before glancing to the Doctor.

"Careful Doc, who knows what all that dust'll do to your lungs? Can't have you getting sick, y'know?" He chided playfully though the furrow of his brow and flicker of some hidden emotion appeared in his eyes briefly, he quickly quieted when he swore he heard voices ahead, narrowing his eyes in response then.

During this, Rock observed that her teammates were preparing themselves for more incoming danger, giving an affirmative nod before readying her cannon in advance. She heard all sorts of voices, like the entire "cast" that Arcade's gathered for this death match were oh-so-dangerously close to each other once again. Just like that sewer explosion, all it could take was someone to pull the trigger in such a congested space, and all hell would be let loose... Rock and by extension Mato hoped that the chain result didn't introduce more loss of life.
Though it seemed as he were absent, Aizawa was simply doing what he did best- observing. All the fighting seemed pointless, but he had a debt to pay. If anyone rushed his way, he'd just activate his quirk and hide- but now they were in full battle- it was time to be effective.

View attachment 9109

"I think it's about time I joined the action," and with that he moved, using his scarf to take the brunt of the bullets- making a sour face as the sewer water sloshed at his feet.
Team PRUDENCE/DEAD HEARTS
"Right now? We're heading away from Mr.Handleshaw! That is all that matters!" The Doctor hobbled his way down the sunken path, a waving hand carving a path through the fog. "Fret not, my dears! My sense of direction is impeccable! I'll have us back on the surface before you can stay--"

"Don't move!"

"Not the words I would have chosen..." The Doctor tutted, slowly raising his hands above his head. "But I suppose they're as good as any..."

"Silence!" Sinestro hissed, raising his hard-light cutlass to the Time Lord's throat. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't run the lot of your through, here and now!"

"It's as Mr.Ramen said." The Doctor echoed Ramuda sternly. "We're not with the... how did you put it, my dear? Murder-Hobos, was it? No matter. What I mean to say is that we mean you no harm!"

"Of course," Sinestro sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing screams 'good intentions' like a targeted gas-main explosion. It was your work, wasn't it, old man? What did Henshaw say your name was? Doctor, was it? Tell me. Where does a 'doctor' learn how to overload a fuse box and blow up half a sewer?"

"We were chosen for this mission because we all have our secrets, Sinestro. Perhaps that's one of mine."

"Oh..." Sinestro blade pressed deeply against the Doctor's skin. "I'm sure it is..."

"Mr. Ramone..." The Doctor looked to the rapper from the corner of his eye. "You wanted a knife, didn't you?" His eyes darted back towards the Yellow Lantern. "You have my full, expressly-given permission to take Thaal Sinestros! By any means necessary!" With a furious, alien cry, the Doctor plunged his thumbs into the Lantern's collar bone, hammering down onto the alien's pressure points. Sinestro responded in turn. He drew back his blade, ready to pierce the Time Lord's throat. Unless someone intervened to turn the tide, a man was about to die.

Where do the Conscripts' loyalties lie? With their teams? Or with the defender? Or with the aggressor?

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^
 
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Space_Candy

[THUMP][THUMP][THUMP]

The ground began to shake, like a rhythmic heartbeat.

A gust of wind blew in, a gust so powerful it made everyone around Zora stagger.

Everyone except Evie.

Evie’s knees buckled, the sheer gravity of her upper body not something her knees could handle.

Zora coldly approached Evie, the ground surrounding the two cracking.

Evie would find herself unable to move, unable to react as Zora punched her again and again. What made it even worse was that she would find her punches to be slow, and the pain was

Evie’s perception of time was slowed.

All of that without breaking a sweat.

Evie better be grateful that she didn’t break one of Zora’s time guns.


JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Yun Lee @MagatsuNoImouto @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Takumi @Atomic Knight

“STOP!”

Soft and Wet grabbed Sinestro’s arm.

“Let’s think through this rationally. We both need Arcade to die. They aren’t with that cowgirl, we’ve seen their entire team. We know who’s on it. That cowgirl and her team are the enemies right now... and we need all the help we can get,”
 
Team NEXIUM/Cyborg Superman

Henshaw scoffed. "You're not worth my time," The cyborg turned to leave heading down the path that the Doctor and the others headed. He had questions that needed to be answered and the boy with the massive forehead could not provide them. While he didn't feel as powerful as before his hearing was impeccable. Something interesting was going on and Henshaw wasn't going to miss that.

Team Nexium: @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Sark




Team NEXIUM/OBLIVION

Shang Tsung was already on his way to disappear into the shadow when he halted. Good help as they say is always so hard to come by. Zola would suddenly find herself stuck in place as skeletal hands emerged from the ground to grasp unto her legs. Suddenly she felt a chill coming over her as if someone had walked over her grave and when she focused her eyes again see saw her attacker.

310


Zora Salazar.

@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Space_Candy @Capri
 

Team NEXIUM/Cyborg Superman
"Construct? Please..." Android 17 scoffed, tucking his hair back behind his ears. "I'm a Cyborg. Judging by appearances, I'm more of a man than you are... both metaphorically and literally. Spare us the lecture, spit-curl. Get offa your high horse, and get out of the sewer. I don't want to stain by jeans when I kick your ass..." The Android cracked his neck. "We're gonna kill you. Just like we killed your son." Same eyes. Same hair. Conner and Hank shared enough of a resemblance to provide the basis of 17's hunch. Besides. They had even decided to coordinate shirts. It must have been 'bring your kid to work day', or something. "And we won't be doing it for Arcade's benefit. Sure, the end-game is the get the creeps attention, but we're doing this for us. We're doing it because it looks fun!" A golden ball of ki burned within the Android's palm. "Tell me, Tin-Man... Do you think you can last long enough to keep me entertained?"

Down in the darkness, Sinestro remained silent. Silent as the grave. To Sinestro, Henshaw was nothing but a relic to a time gone by, a rusting tribute from a failed campaign against the Green Lantern corps. He wasn't going to dignify his taunts. Not let. No. He'd bide his time. He bit his tongue, readying his ring. The Cyborg would choke on the light of fear soon enough. He just had to stay patient. He just had to stay calm. He just had to... keep it together.

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^







Team NEXIUM/OBLIVION
A boon. The Wizard was right. There was no other way to describe it. The Cowgirl's whistling taunts was a minor setback. There was no denying that. But any damage it might have caused to her plan was swiftly reversed with a single retch of the former-Titan's mouth. Team Nexium had been kind enough to deliver her gear to her. What a band of generous souls!

"I'll catch up. Don't look back." She whispered grimly. "Just go."

Zora's final note sounded. The veil was gone. Moving like a black blur, Evie ran across the street. A leap. A jump. A skid through the Titan's saliva. Evie threw herself into the mound of gear. A cloud of pale fog concealed her new position. She had detonated a smoke bomb. God, she missed smoke-bombs. Ducking behind another one of Rhodey's armored boxes, Evie fastened her hidden blade to her wrist.

Fsst!

A dark pierced Zora's necked. A poison? No. It was adrenaline. Pure, undiluted adrenaline. Her heart raced. Her head pounder. She saw red. Nothing but red. Screaming. Roaring. Red. Everyone was out to get her. Everyone. 17. The Eleven. Eren. They were going to betray her. They were going to kill her! Couldn't think. Couldn't focus. She just wanted to hurt something. Anything. The dark sent the Cowgirl into a berserker fury. She could no longer distinguish friend from foe.

With a howl, Evie leaped over the pile of gear, a long, silver walking cane in hand. She plucked upon the cane's handle. A flash of silver. She drew her cane sword.

"Come on then!" Evie screamed, striking her sword and sheathe together. "Lost ya bottes? Come on! Who's first?!"

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^




The Map not only contained a detailed outline of the city and its many, winding buildings, but it also contained a list of the city's attractions. What more could any self respecting tourist want? The Map revealed that the city was divided into two, large segments.

Royal Town:
  • Home to our Nation Mighty, Absolute King, James XVII
  • Home to our glorious Houses of parliament, open to all!
  • The finest tailors any man could want!
  • The most incredible restaurants you could imagine! No Rif-Raf allowed!
  • A splendid set of parks!

Subject's Town:
  • Markets as far as the eye can see!
  • Buy some imported fabrics at the largest dock this side of the see!
  • The finest prostitutes in the country!
  • Come down to the Court-House! We're hanging treasonous bastards this afternoon!
  • An investors tour of the Work Houses will occurring each day at noon.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^



Team PRUDENCE/NEXIUM
"No." Rhodey replied sternly, a silver flash bouncing off of his faceplate. In a flash of silver, the mechanical box he had fought so hard to secure had been opened, and its contents had been removed. Rhodey, now armored and armed, placed a cold hand upon Ifrit's shoulder. [I pulled you outta the sewer long before things went to Hell. This isn't on you.]
View attachment 9115
[You and me? We're gonna find whoever is responsible and knock 'em down a few pegs... but finding the rest of the Team PRUDENCE has to be priority Numero Uno. Do you think you can hold it together until we get back to the sewers? We've gotta fight past the NEXIUMs, the Dead Hearts and the OBLIVIONs, and I need to know that I can count on you!]

Outside the alley, the distant sounds of combat grew louder. The veil of smoke grew thinner. The hiding pair's advantage was slipping further and further away by the minute. They needed to act soon, lest the element of surprise was lost for good. Unless they hurried, they would no doubt be spotted.

"Lost ya bottles? Come on! Who's first?"

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi @York ^


CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^







Team PRUDENCE/DEAD HEARTS
"Right now? We're heading away from Mr.Handleshaw! That is all that matters!" The Doctor hobbled his way down the sunken path, a waving hand carving a path through the fog. "Fret not, my dears! My sense of direction is impeccable! I'll have us back on the surface before you can stay--"

"Don't move!"

"Not the words I would have chosen..." The Doctor tutted, slowly raising his hands above his head. "But I suppose they're as good as any..."

"Silence!" Sinestro hissed, raising his hard-light cutlass to the Time Lord's throat. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't run the lot of your through, here and now!"

"It's as Mr.Ramen said." The Doctor echoed Ramuda sternly. "We're not with the... how did you put it, my dear? Murder-Hobos, was it? No matter. What I mean to say is that we mean you no harm!"

"Of course," Sinestro sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing screams 'good intentions' like a targeted gas-main explosion. It was your work, wasn't it, old man? What did Henshaw say your name was? Doctor, was it? Tell me. Where does a 'doctor' learn how to overload a fuse box and blow up half a sewer?"

"We were chosen for this mission because we all have our secrets, Sinestro. Perhaps that's one of mine."

"Oh..." Sinestro blade pressed deeply against the Doctor's skin. "I'm sure it is..."

"Mr. Ramone..." The Doctor looked to the rapper from the corner of his eye. "You wanted a knife, didn't you?" His eyes darted back towards the Yellow Lantern. "You have my full, expressly-given permission to take Thaal Sinestros! By any means necessary!" With a furious, alien cry, the Doctor plunged his thumbs into the Lantern's collar bone, hammering down onto the alien's pressure points. Sinestro responded in turn. He drew back his blade, ready to pierce the Time Lord's throat. Unless someone intervened to turn the tide, a man was about to die.

Where do the Conscripts' loyalties lie? With their teams? Or with the defender? Or with the aggressor?

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^

ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Space_Candy

[THUMP][THUMP][THUMP]

The ground began to shake, like a rhythmic heartbeat.

A gust of wind blew in, a gust so powerful it made everyone around Zora stagger.

Everyone except Evie.

Evie’s knees buckled, the sheer gravity of her upper body not something her knees could handle.

Zora coldly approached Evie, the ground surrounding the two cracking.

Evie would find herself unable to move, unable to react as Zora punched her again and again. What made it even worse was that she would find her punches to be slow, and the pain was

Evie’s perception of time was slowed.

All of that without breaking a sweat.

Evie better be grateful that she didn’t break one of Zora’s time guns.


JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA
@Sark @Yun Lee @MagatsuNoImouto @Gummi Bunnies @Space_Candy @Takumi @Atomic Knight

“STOP!”

Soft and Wet grabbed Sinestro’s arm.

“Let’s think through this rationally. We both need Arcade to die. They aren’t with that cowgirl, we’ve seen their entire team. We know who’s on it. That cowgirl and her team are the enemies right now... and we need all the help we can get,”


ed4a07db3b990895ef4403ce88e2c721617504e9.jpg


"If you're having trouble with my name Doc you can just call me Ramu, ya know?" The rapper chirped, internally annoyed at being called Ramen of all things.

When the Doctor addressed him then went in for Thaal's pressure points blue eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Thaal going for the jugular with his blades. He moved between both men, leg shooting out for one of Thaal's knees and pressing a hand to the Doctor's chest in an attempt to protect the Doc from dying a pretty stupid death. It wouldn't do to be another team member short at the moment, after all. They already had enough on their plates.

b06664380b828705dd8ba5a4fcd2beec336523ef.jpg


"Hey is that big ass head of yours full of hot air or what? Are your eyes that small that you can't see that there's a kid here or something? Then again you did consider running our lot through, yeah? Better listen to that guy there cause he's talking sense, unless you got some small ass ears too, Mr. Tomato?" He asked, motioning to Josuke as he spoke before his eyes landed back on Thaal with a cold look. His bubbly demeanor from before was gone completely, having not taken kindly to Sinestro's threat on his life in the least.

"You guys think you can grow a pair and, I dunno, work together for a while and put this measuring contest behind ya? I dunno what beef y'all or Mr. Cyborg got but don't drag me into the thick of it." He asked, glancing warily between the two gentlemen, before glancing the Doctor over for any serious wounds as he grumbled the last bit gruffly.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies @Team Prudence/Dead Hearts @Sewers

Shion bit the inside of his cheek, not at all liking the thought of splitting up. Taking a quick glance at the map, he tried to go through the options in his head quickly. Team Nexium didn't care much about the populace as far as Shion could tell, however...

"Maybe here, we might be able to hide in a crowded area?" He muttered to Phi, pointing to the Markets for a second, before his gaze flicked up to the fighting going on.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Lucky @Space_Candy @Team Oblivion
 
Suigestu frowned at his presence being ignored, putting his sword on his back before assessing what to do and who to threaten. That moment cut short as he felt something crash into him.

"ACK!"

View attachment 9117

"Are all women as rude as you!?" He shouted as he looked up at presumably a woman, and due to his experience with Karin- he'd say yes.

@Sark @Jeremi @Capri
 
Daniel reached out to restrain the pair with his powers but Ramuda and someone else stopped them first. He stared at them, feeling angry and out of breath. "Did you lie?" Daniel asked as he stared at the Doctor. "The explosion... is that true?" He looked at Thaal for a moment before narrowing his gaze back on the Doctor. "You could have hurt a lot of people... You could have killed us too! Why is everyone... fighting? Why is everyone being so horrible?!"

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Sewer



"I agree," Phi said to Shion. The markets seemed a good area to escape to. Plus, she had a feeling going anywhere near that royal sector would not be good for them.

"However..." Phi looked up at the fighting nearby, which half of their team was now embroiled in. She'd be no help for this mess. "Damn it. Okay, meet up with us later!" Phi made a break for it, hoping her teammates not involved in the fight would join her. Her destination: the Markets.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy @TeamOblivion
@Capri
 
The fake backflipped rather impressively off Suigestu and landed on the ground. "Sure is peachy! Watcha gotta do that for huh?" The fake came in close to the real Zora to give her a swift punch.

If Zora had thought that this being was just smoke and mirrors she's be surprised as the punch connected that her own perception started to slow down. The fake seemed to be able to use her own powers back at her!


@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Takumi @Lucky @Atomic Knight @Space_Candy @Capri
 
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Jeremi @EveryoneElse

Zora was still... mentally... reeling from the punch. Everything is slower... until it started to speed up. Recovering took some time, but she was able to do it.

She glared daggers at her fake, scoffing before charging at it. She slid and went in for a leg sweep.​
 
The fake didn't stand still when Zora slowed down and instead went and picked up Eevie from where had been left. As Zora was bridging the gap again the fake caused three burning skulls to emerge in a line in front of Zora while the fake Zora melted away revealing Shang Tsung wearing a very smug smirk on his face.

"Until next time, my dear," A portal emerged behind Shang Tsung and Eevie that engulfed both of them before closing only to show up a few steps away from Phi and the rest. If everything went as planned, that is.

@Sark @Capri
 
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Jeremi @EveryoneElse

Zora was pissed. The skulls dissolved, their mere existence dialed down by the cowgirl.

She charged at Shang Tsung, who would feel the effects of Sundial by his knees being locked into place.

Dialing down his perception of time, Zora punched him hard before using her abilities to knock Evie into a wall and take her sword, which she attempted to kill Shang Tsung with by plunging it into his chest.​
 
A failed escape and bruises to prove it. This was why you never stuck your neck out for anyone. Battered and his perception of time as it was it seemed like he was going to lose.

The sword plunged into him. The wizard wheezed out in pain as blood dripped out from his mouth. Though to Zora's surprise, the words coming out of Shang Tsung's words were perfectly understandable. "Next time." He clutched Zora's arms tightly together with a bear hug. "Do not let your rage control you."

Zora suddenly felt herself weaken as a green aura enveloped her and her knees started to weaken. It felt like her very life force was being pulled from inside of her into Shang Tsung. There was no point in killing her. He was only going to drain her to heal his own wounds and stop her from coming after them. Someone like her might be useful if left in the game for a longer time.

@Sark @Capri
 
ZORA SALAZAR
@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch @Jeremi @Everyone

Zora fell backwards like a ton of bricks, where she laid there for some time, her breaths becoming more like wheezing as she started to gasp for air.

The wheezing slowed, her using Sundial to at least partially revitalize herself.

Then the coughing started.

It sounded like the coughs that someone made when their face was filled with smoke by a campfire.

She slowly got to her feet, looking around confusedly at the cracked ground.

View attachment 9120

“Wh-whut happened...? Kinduh... blacked out uh little there...”
 
❝ Uh... looked like you were fighting a copy of yourself, and the guy responsible for that made a break for it with his teammates... it was hard to follow honestly... ❞ Eren tried his best to catch Zora up, the former keeping himself standing upright in case he was going to be targeted next. As much as he really really wanted to make another move at their obstacles, he had only his fatigue to blame for getting in the way. Either way, he had his hands gripping at the hilts of his mobility gear's detachable blades.

❝ Unless somebody's got any objections... I think I'm gonna go after them. Just gotta use my gear to get a good vantage point on top of a building and I can point out where we can take out our obstacles... ❞

@Sark @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Crunch @Jeremi
@TeamNEXIUM


S-Stop it! If we keep this up... then... then we won't be able to survive!!! This has to be what Arcade wants!!! Mato's voice cried out as Rock forcefully tried to put herself in-between the Doctor and Sinestro.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Takumi
@Team Prudence/Dead Hearts @Sewers
 

Team NEXIUM/Cyborg Superman
"Construct? Please..." Android 17 scoffed, tucking his hair back behind his ears. "I'm a Cyborg. Judging by appearances, I'm more of a man than you are... both metaphorically and literally. Spare us the lecture, spit-curl. Get offa your high horse, and get out of the sewer. I don't want to stain by jeans when I kick your ass..." The Android cracked his neck. "We're gonna kill you. Just like we killed your son." Same eyes. Same hair. Conner and Hank shared enough of a resemblance to provide the basis of 17's hunch. Besides. They had even decided to coordinate shirts. It must have been 'bring your kid to work day', or something. "And we won't be doing it for Arcade's benefit. Sure, the end-game is the get the creeps attention, but we're doing this for us. We're doing it because it looks fun!" A golden ball of ki burned within the Android's palm. "Tell me, Tin-Man... Do you think you can last long enough to keep me entertained?"

Down in the darkness, Sinestro remained silent. Silent as the grave. To Sinestro, Henshaw was nothing but a relic to a time gone by, a rusting tribute from a failed campaign against the Green Lantern corps. He wasn't going to dignify his taunts. Not let. No. He'd bide his time. He bit his tongue, readying his ring. The Cyborg would choke on the light of fear soon enough. He just had to stay patient. He just had to stay calm. He just had to... keep it together.

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^







Team NEXIUM/OBLIVION
A boon. The Wizard was right. There was no other way to describe it. The Cowgirl's whistling taunts was a minor setback. There was no denying that. But any damage it might have caused to her plan was swiftly reversed with a single retch of the former-Titan's mouth. Team Nexium had been kind enough to deliver her gear to her. What a band of generous souls!

"I'll catch up. Don't look back." She whispered grimly. "Just go."

Zora's final note sounded. The veil was gone. Moving like a black blur, Evie ran across the street. A leap. A jump. A skid through the Titan's saliva. Evie threw herself into the mound of gear. A cloud of pale fog concealed her new position. She had detonated a smoke bomb. God, she missed smoke-bombs. Ducking behind another one of Rhodey's armored boxes, Evie fastened her hidden blade to her wrist.

Fsst!

A dark pierced Zora's necked. A poison? No. It was adrenaline. Pure, undiluted adrenaline. Her heart raced. Her head pounder. She saw red. Nothing but red. Screaming. Roaring. Red. Everyone was out to get her. Everyone. 17. The Eleven. Eren. They were going to betray her. They were going to kill her! Couldn't think. Couldn't focus. She just wanted to hurt something. Anything. The dark sent the Cowgirl into a berserker fury. She could no longer distinguish friend from foe.

With a howl, Evie leaped over the pile of gear, a long, silver walking cane in hand. She plucked upon the cane's handle. A flash of silver. She drew her cane sword.

"Come on then!" Evie screamed, striking her sword and sheathe together. "Lost ya bottes? Come on! Who's first?!"

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^




The Map not only contained a detailed outline of the city and its many, winding buildings, but it also contained a list of the city's attractions. What more could any self respecting tourist want? The Map revealed that the city was divided into two, large segments.

Royal Town:
  • Home to our Nation Mighty, Absolute King, James XVII
  • Home to our glorious Houses of parliament, open to all!
  • The finest tailors any man could want!
  • The most incredible restaurants you could imagine! No Rif-Raf allowed!
  • A splendid set of parks!

Subject's Town:
  • Markets as far as the eye can see!
  • Buy some imported fabrics at the largest dock this side of the see!
  • The finest prostitutes in the country!
  • Come down to the Court-House! We're hanging treasonous bastards this afternoon!
  • An investors tour of the Work Houses will occurring each day at noon.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^



Team PRUDENCE/NEXIUM
"No." Rhodey replied sternly, a silver flash bouncing off of his faceplate. In a flash of silver, the mechanical box he had fought so hard to secure had been opened, and its contents had been removed. Rhodey, now armored and armed, placed a cold hand upon Ifrit's shoulder. [I pulled you outta the sewer long before things went to Hell. This isn't on you.]
View attachment 9115
[You and me? We're gonna find whoever is responsible and knock 'em down a few pegs... but finding the rest of the Team PRUDENCE has to be priority Numero Uno. Do you think you can hold it together until we get back to the sewers? We've gotta fight past the NEXIUMs, the Dead Hearts and the OBLIVIONs, and I need to know that I can count on you!]

Outside the alley, the distant sounds of combat grew louder. The veil of smoke grew thinner. The hiding pair's advantage was slipping further and further away by the minute. They needed to act soon, lest the element of surprise was lost for good. Unless they hurried, they would no doubt be spotted.

"Lost ya bottles? Come on! Who's first?"

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi @York ^


CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^







Team PRUDENCE/DEAD HEARTS
"Right now? We're heading away from Mr.Handleshaw! That is all that matters!" The Doctor hobbled his way down the sunken path, a waving hand carving a path through the fog. "Fret not, my dears! My sense of direction is impeccable! I'll have us back on the surface before you can stay--"

"Don't move!"

"Not the words I would have chosen..." The Doctor tutted, slowly raising his hands above his head. "But I suppose they're as good as any..."

"Silence!" Sinestro hissed, raising his hard-light cutlass to the Time Lord's throat. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't run the lot of your through, here and now!"

"It's as Mr.Ramen said." The Doctor echoed Ramuda sternly. "We're not with the... how did you put it, my dear? Murder-Hobos, was it? No matter. What I mean to say is that we mean you no harm!"

"Of course," Sinestro sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing screams 'good intentions' like a targeted gas-main explosion. It was your work, wasn't it, old man? What did Henshaw say your name was? Doctor, was it? Tell me. Where does a 'doctor' learn how to overload a fuse box and blow up half a sewer?"

"We were chosen for this mission because we all have our secrets, Sinestro. Perhaps that's one of mine."

"Oh..." Sinestro blade pressed deeply against the Doctor's skin. "I'm sure it is..."

"Mr. Ramone..." The Doctor looked to the rapper from the corner of his eye. "You wanted a knife, didn't you?" His eyes darted back towards the Yellow Lantern. "You have my full, expressly-given permission to take Thaal Sinestros! By any means necessary!" With a furious, alien cry, the Doctor plunged his thumbs into the Lantern's collar bone, hammering down onto the alien's pressure points. Sinestro responded in turn. He drew back his blade, ready to pierce the Time Lord's throat. Unless someone intervened to turn the tide, a man was about to die.

Where do the Conscripts' loyalties lie? With their teams? Or with the defender? Or with the aggressor?

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^
Ifrit
@Sark @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi @Surface, post explosion, Nexium/Prudence

Ifrit seemed to perk up at Rhodey's response, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes as she saw Rhodey slip on his armor. Though she was still hungry, and a little lethargic, the sudden surge of emotion seemed to bring some life to her, returning her for the moment to the rather exciteable state she usually was in, even in the heat of battle.

"H-... Hell yeah! Let's do this, O-... Operator Ifrit, ready for-...!" She trailed off a little as she instinctively grasped at the air behind her back, twitching for a moment as she remembered something.

"D-... Damnit! I'll... I'll fight without it! But, I... Want my flamethrower!!!" She added.

Swiftly trying to kick her body back into action, she gathered flames around her body, preparing for a battle. It would be all or nothing. Whether or not she could recover that flamethrower of hers, she was willing to do whatever it took to get back to the others, and as Rhodey suggested, find the culprit behind that sewer explosion... Teach them a lesson or two.

It wasn't just because they had endangered the lives of practically everyone in the blast radius, but because in her mind, they had the gal to humiliate her so!​
 
View attachment 9125

"If you want to try out some reconnaissance, then go for it. Try an' point them out from the smoke. Don't take any chances, though. Spot them out, where they're going, and then come back to us again," Fushimi said to Eren with a suddenly more serious and authoritative tone than ever before, appearing alongside him in front of Zora. "If we weren't at a disadvantage then, we certainly are now. We need to consolidate our strength and regroup in full before making another attack," he went on.

Even though the team seemed far enough away from the explosion, it seemed even the subsequent effects managed to scramble Nexium to a degree. He moved on past 17 when Henshaw attempted to beat a retreat, which had led him to Eren and Zora in the first place.

On top of all that, Fushimi hadn't seen the Eleven, and considering that guy's personality, it was wholly possible that he could have slipped away for whatever reason unless he were to pop up next to Fushimi any second now. On top of all that, there was also the matter of their two other members, missing in action as well, wherever they were.

"If nothing else though, at least we know a little more about Oblivion; they've got someone who can shapeshift and drain away at your energy. Good job, lady. Your gambit of charging forward by yourself worked out well, in the end. So don't do it again," he said sternly, the irony of him being less proactive than the others not lost on him.

He already missed Scepter 4 from back home as it was. They'd certainly had more coordination than what was displayed here, and though Fushimi deplored any position other than a background role, his teammates were a bit... unruly for his liking, so he'd have to guide them all toward his own wavelength so they could all get things done.

It's not a superiority complex if you really were superior.

@Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Sark @Minerva @Crunch @TeamNEXIUM
 
“STOP!”

Soft and Wet grabbed Sinestro’s arm.

“Let’s think through this rationally. We both need Arcade to die. They aren’t with that cowgirl, we’ve seen their entire team. We know who’s on it. That cowgirl and her team are the enemies right now... and we need all the help we can get,”
Team OBLIVION/ Team PRUDENCE
Soft and Wet caught Sinestro's arm mid-swipe, sparing the Doctor from being skewered upon the Korugarian Cutlass' tip. The Yellow Lantern pierced the boy and his stand with an equally sharp, equally threatening glare.
"Unhand me!" Sinestro hissed, spitting like a viper. "The Doctor has endangered the lives of every single soul in this tunnel! He damn near killed himself! Can you truly consider such a man an ally? Could you ever trust such a man? I am an advocate for the transmission of fear... but hear me now... I shall not welcome such a reckless anarchist into my party!"

"If you're having trouble with my name Doc you can just call me Ramu, ya know?" The rapper chirped, internally annoyed at being called Ramen of all things.

When the Doctor addressed him then went in for Thaal's pressure points blue eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Thaal going for the jugular with his blades. He moved between both men, leg shooting out for one of Thaal's knees and pressing a hand to the Doctor's chest in an attempt to protect the Doc from dying a pretty stupid death. It wouldn't do to be another team member short at the moment, after all. They already had enough on their plates.

"Hey is that big ass head of yours full of hot air or what? Are your eyes that small that you can't see that there's a kid here or something? Then again you did consider running our lot through, yeah? Better listen to that guy there cause he's talking sense, unless you got some small ass ears too, Mr. Tomato?" He asked, motioning to Josuke as he spoke before his eyes landed back on Thaal with a cold look. His bubbly demeanor from before was gone completely, having not taken kindly to Sinestro's threat on his life in the least.

"You guys think you can grow a pair and, I dunno, work together for a while and put this measuring contest behind ya? I dunno what beef y'all or Mr. Cyborg got but don't drag me into the thick of it." He asked, glancing warily between the two gentlemen, before glancing the Doctor over for any serious wounds as he grumbled the last bit gruffly.
"I assure you, my dear..." The Doctor hummed with a casual smile, unshaken by the sudden violent degeneration of their situation. "I am quite capable of pronouncing your name. Additionally, I assure you, I am personally in possession of 'a pair'. If you would kindly clean up you vocabulary, I would greatly appreciate it. Now-" He clapped. "To tend to the Airhead, as you so amiably described him--"

"Yes. On to me." Thaal snarled like a cornered dog. "The subject of your amusement. The subject of your vilification and slander. You would be wise not to vex me, child. I not in the mood for humor. When you're quite finished cracking wise, perhaps you'll pull the hair out of your ears and finally consider a perspective beyond you own. This 'Doctor' of yours is clearly not the harmless old fool he would have you believe him to be!"

"A fool? Me?"
The Doctor smirked a mischievous smirk. He lowered his hands. "Poppycock. Humbug."

"He is a liability to anyone who crosses his path. You. Me. My Team. The others..."
Sinestro thinned his eyes and regained control over his tone. He released his arm and slowly slipped it out of Soft and Wet's grasp. "I'd wager he's a considerable threat to himself, too. He must be removed from play. Whether it is by my hand, or someone else's, I care not. So long as the Doctor falls, I care not how. Either the Doctor leaves this... Union of Friends, or I do. That, dear allies, is the bottom line. I shall not punish the children for his selfish sins, but someone must be held accountable for the heat he has brought down upon us."

S-Stop it! If we keep this up... then... then we won't be able to survive!!! This has to be what Arcade wants!!! Mato's voice cried out as Rock forcefully tried to put herself in-between the Doctor and Sinestro.
"Step aside, Child..." Sinestro hummed, dropping his weapon. Although the fuse was slowly cooling, Thaal remained vigilant. His ring continued to flicker and glow. "Standing between us will only get you hurt. If the Doctor moves again, I cannot guarantee your safety."

Daniel reached out to restrain the pair with his powers but Ramuda and someone else stopped them first. He stared at them, feeling angry and out of breath. "Did you lie?" Daniel asked as he stared at the Doctor. "The explosion... is that true?" He looked at Thaal for a moment before narrowing his gaze back on the Doctor. "You could have hurt a lot of people... You could have killed us too! Why is everyone... fighting? Why is everyone being so horrible?!"
"I did what I did to protect you. Such was the promise I made myself..." The Doctor muttered grimly, his harmless smile fading to a scowl. "I protected you from Mr. Henshaw. I protected you from the truth. Ever since we arrived her, I've been campaigning to protect you from yourself. And yet, here we are... questioning me..." The Doctor tutted. "Here you are.... questioning my like the ungrateful brat your are. If there is one thing I have learned in all my travels... it is that children should respect their elders and betters!" And, to a being such as he, they were all children in need of guidance. The Doctor planted a firm slap around the back of the boy's head. "Stupid boy. I will not suffer insubordination from you. Cry all you like. Go on. Mourn all the people that my explosion did not, in fact, kill. Continue to dream up hypothetical tragedies. Distract yourself... and let the adults talk. I shall not be lectured by the like of you."

No. That wasn't enough.
The Doctor leaned in towards Daniel, hushing his voice so that only the boy might hear him whisper.
"You're a killer, boy." The Doctor leaned in towards Daniel, hushing his voice so that only the boy might hear him whisper. "The Elderly Arcade. Forge. They're both dead. And it's your fault. Most mass-murderers start of their careers killing small animals. Beasts. Unfeeling things. But you? You leaped straight to human beings. Your soul must be black. It must be filthy. I can practically smell death upon you. If a boy who kills a squirrel shall grow up to become a monster... God only knows what you might become. Perhaps I know you're destined to become. Perhaps I know. Perhaps I would be doing the Multiverse a favor by ending your story here and now. Perhaps it would be merciful... sparing the multiverse from what is to come... Perhaps... should you run out of uses, I shall do just that. 'Prudence' might be blackmailing us... But that won't stop be from securing some additional dirt on you. Never forget your betters, child. Never speak to me like that again."
The Doctor returned his hand to his chest. His fingers started to rotate around his signet ring.
"I will say this once and only once..." The Doctor frowned solemnly, his façade sliding up once again. He turned to address the wider party. "Despite it's 'risks', my explosion saved lives. It incapacitated the Cyborg. It removed a dangerous player from the game. Given the chance, I would happily do it again. My plan was nothing short of genius. If Sinestro wishes for me to walk, so be it... But I know who I would rather have around in a crisis... that man would do anything to protect the lives of those he has placed in his care... Rather than the man who would threaten strangers with blades, less they submit to his personal brand of tyranny!"

Consumed by his grandiose performance, the Doctor was oblivious to the Cyborg's arrival.

RAMUDA AMEMURA// YASHAMARU// DANIEL DIAZ// CHASE DAVENPORT// HANK HENSHAW// THE DOCTOR// JAMES R. RHODES// IFRIT
^ @Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Jeremi ^

MARRIANE VON EDMUND// JOSUKE HIGASHIKATA// DAN KUROTO// AIZAWA SHOTA// MATO KUROI// CONNER KENT// THAAL SINESTRO// JACQUELINE FALSWORTH
^ @Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies ^



A failed escape and bruises to prove it. This was why you never stuck your neck out for anyone. Battered and his perception of time as it was it seemed like he was going to lose.

The sword plunged into him. The wizard wheezed out in pain as blood dripped out from his mouth. Though to Zora's surprise, the words coming out of Shang Tsung's words were perfectly understandable. "Next time." He clutched Zora's arms tightly together with a bear hug. "Do not let your rage control you."

Zora suddenly felt herself weaken as a green aura enveloped her and her knees started to weaken. It felt like her very life force was being pulled from inside of her into Shang Tsung. There was no point in killing her. He was only going to drain her to heal his own wounds and stop her from coming after them. Someone like her might be useful if left in the game for a longer time.

@Sark @Capri
ed4a07db3b990895ef4403ce88e2c721617504e9.jpg


"If you're having trouble with my name Doc you can just call me Ramu, ya know?" The rapper chirped, internally annoyed at being called Ramen of all things.

When the Doctor addressed him then went in for Thaal's pressure points blue eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Thaal going for the jugular with his blades. He moved between both men, leg shooting out for one of Thaal's knees and pressing a hand to the Doctor's chest in an attempt to protect the Doc from dying a pretty stupid death. It wouldn't do to be another team member short at the moment, after all. They already had enough on their plates.

b06664380b828705dd8ba5a4fcd2beec336523ef.jpg


"Hey is that big ass head of yours full of hot air or what? Are your eyes that small that you can't see that there's a kid here or something? Then again you did consider running our lot through, yeah? Better listen to that guy there cause he's talking sense, unless you got some small ass ears too, Mr. Tomato?" He asked, motioning to Josuke as he spoke before his eyes landed back on Thaal with a cold look. His bubbly demeanor from before was gone completely, having not taken kindly to Sinestro's threat on his life in the least.

"You guys think you can grow a pair and, I dunno, work together for a while and put this measuring contest behind ya? I dunno what beef y'all or Mr. Cyborg got but don't drag me into the thick of it." He asked, glancing warily between the two gentlemen, before glancing the Doctor over for any serious wounds as he grumbled the last bit gruffly.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies @Team Prudence/Dead Hearts @Sewers

Shion bit the inside of his cheek, not at all liking the thought of splitting up. Taking a quick glance at the map, he tried to go through the options in his head quickly. Team Nexium didn't care much about the populace as far as Shion could tell, however...

"Maybe here, we might be able to hide in a crowded area?" He muttered to Phi, pointing to the Markets for a second, before his gaze flicked up to the fighting going on.

@Sark @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Lucky @Space_Candy @Team Oblivion
Daniel reached out to restrain the pair with his powers but Ramuda and someone else stopped them first. He stared at them, feeling angry and out of breath. "Did you lie?" Daniel asked as he stared at the Doctor. "The explosion... is that true?" He looked at Thaal for a moment before narrowing his gaze back on the Doctor. "You could have hurt a lot of people... You could have killed us too! Why is everyone... fighting? Why is everyone being so horrible?!"

@Sark @Takumi @Capri @Sewer



"I agree," Phi said to Shion. The markets seemed a good area to escape to. Plus, she had a feeling going anywhere near that royal sector would not be good for them.

"However..." Phi looked up at the fighting nearby, which half of their team was now embroiled in. She'd be no help for this mess. "Damn it. Okay, meet up with us later!" Phi made a break for it, hoping her teammates not involved in the fight would join her. Her destination: the Markets.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy @TeamOblivion
@Capri
Team OBLIVION
Bang!
Crack!

Shang's portal worked as the Wizard had intended. Some might say that it worked a little too well. The Wizard and the Assassin were set down directly in the path of the rest of Team Oblivion. The entire party was bowled into a nearby stall. The shopkeeper, strangely absent, barely noticed them peeling leaves of cabbage from their clothes. The Market's patrons were all captivated by a nearby street performer. The carnival artist spat flames high into the sky, hopped on one foot and juggled 6 bowling pins, all at once. Oh, how the public adored him! The sounds of cheers and laughter were sobering, a stunning change from the chilling, pained cries which had besieged the Conscripts ears not moments before.
View attachment 9126
"I... thank you, Shang..." Evie muttered, cradling her throbbing shoulder. "I... thank you..." There was nothing more than she could say. Nothing that wasn't already obvious. Without him, she would be dead, a fact he was clearly aware of. They had underestimated their foes, and they had paid the price... but they were alive. For now. That was what really mattered.

The Assassin turned to her cane for support, only for her hand to slip from its missing handle. The Cowgirl had taken it, no doubt. No matter. The sheath was worth ten of the sword, a saying Evie vowed to prove true the next time she and Zora crossed paths.

"We... We need to keep moving!" Evie winced, hobbling to her feet. "We need to get off the streets... cause a... a distraction! They'll be--" The Assassin stumbled, falling against a market stall for support. "--They'll be here soon!"

From the top of a nearby rooftop, Team OBLIVION could feel a pair of eyes staring down at them.

SHANG TSUNG// SHION// PHI// MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF// SUIGETSU HOZUKU// EEVIE FRYE// GODBRAND// AKUMA
^ @Jeremi @Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy ^


"If you want to try out some reconnaissance, then go for it. Try an' point them out from the smoke. Don't take any chances, though. Spot them out, where they're going, and then come back to us again," Fushimi said to Eren with a suddenly more serious and authoritative tone than ever before, appearing alongside him in front of Zora. "If we weren't at a disadvantage then, we certainly are now. We need to consolidate our strength and regroup in full before making another attack," he went on.

Even though the team seemed far enough away from the explosion, it seemed even the subsequent effects managed to scramble Nexium to a degree. He moved on past 17 when Henshaw attempted to beat a retreat, which had led him to Eren and Zora in the first place.

On top of all that, Fushimi hadn't seen the Eleven, and considering that guy's personality, it was wholly possible that he could have slipped away for whatever reason unless he were to pop up next to Fushimi any second now. On top of all that, there was also the matter of their two other members, missing in action as well, wherever they were.

"If nothing else though, at least we know a little more about Oblivion; they've got someone who can shapeshift and drain away at your energy. Good job, lady. Your gambit of charging forward by yourself worked out well, in the end. So don't do it again," he said sternly, the irony of him being less proactive than the others not lost on him.

He already missed Scepter 4 from back home as it was. They'd certainly had more coordination than what was displayed here, and though Fushimi deplored any position other than a background role, his teammates were a bit... unruly for his liking, so he'd have to guide them all toward his own wavelength so they could all get things done.

It's not a superiority complex if you really were superior.
Zora fell backwards like a ton of bricks, where she laid there for some time, her breaths becoming more like wheezing as she started to gasp for air.

The wheezing slowed, her using Sundial to at least partially revitalize herself.

Then the coughing started.

It sounded like the coughs that someone made when their face was filled with smoke by a campfire.

She slowly got to her feet, looking around confusedly at the cracked ground.


“Wh-whut happened...? Kinduh... blacked out uh little there...”
❝ Uh... looked like you were fighting a copy of yourself, and the guy responsible for that made a break for it with his teammates... it was hard to follow honestly... ❞ Eren tried his best to catch Zora up, the former keeping himself standing upright in case he was going to be targeted next. As much as he really really wanted to make another move at their obstacles, he had only his fatigue to blame for getting in the way. Either way, he had his hands gripping at the hilts of his mobility gear's detachable blades.

❝ Unless somebody's got any objections... I think I'm gonna go after them. Just gotta use my gear to get a good vantage point on top of a building and I can point out where we can take out our obstacles... ❞
Team NEXIUM
"I agree with Four-Eyes," 17 hummed, letting his fellow Cyborg's retreat go unopposed. "Oblivion are the guys to watch for, that much I know. Sure, the chick was easy pickings. If Zora hadn't blow a fuse, she probably coulda taken her own. The Old Man was something else entirely." 17's smirk grew wider. He shivered with anticipation. Never thought that would happen hear. Sure, blasting humans was a decent distraction. But thrilling? No. Thrilling foes didn't come around often. He was gonna relish his chance to turn the Wizard inside out. "I want to see how much energy he can absorb before he explodes... But we can't do that unless we--" 17 turned on the spot, his hair swishing in his wake. The Eleven had been quite. Too quite. The creep hadn't shut up before but now he was just-- "--Gone. The Eleven's gone. That's another man down..." The Android groaned. "He was hardly a power house, but I hate for him to go and get himself killed. Now that would sully the Team Name..."

The Android perked up at the mention of a scouting party. His eyes bounced between Fushimi and Eren.
"Scouting sounds good. Eren, you heard the good man. You're up. Do your vantage-point-thing and head down to the Market. Tell us what you see." 17 parroted Fushimi, turning back to the sewers. "The rest of us? We've got options. We can start looking for the Eleven... try scaring him back in line. We could try setting up a came. Or... There's a Cyborg, a pensioner and a bunch of kids hiding in the sewers right now. Bet the Dead Hearts are down there with them. It would be a shame is someone were to... collapse the tunnels... trapping them down bellow... Its hardly sporting... Probably a war crime... But it might get a certain someone's attention..."

CIRI// SARUHIKO FUSHIMI// ZORA SALAZAR// EREN JAEGER// ALEXANDER ANDERSON// FORGE// ANDROID 17// THE ELEVEN
^ @Minerva @Ver @Capri @Gummi Bunnies @Crunch ^
 
Team PRUDENCE/ Team DEAD HEARTS

"Did it?" The Doctor felt a metallic hand around his throat as he was pushed up against the wall. The others had only felt a gust of wind. "What did you believe you were going to accomplish? I might not know which one you are, but he would not have been this sloppy." His eyes took a menacing red shine to them at the same time using his X-ray vision to confirm to see if he really was a Time Lord. "Perhaps I shouldn't keep you like this. So frail...your hearts might give in."

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Atomic Knight @Lucky @Sark
@Yun Lee @Capri @MagatsuNoImouto @Space_Candy @Gummi Bunnies




Team OBLIVION

The sword had gone cleanly through. The residual life force Shang Tsung had stolen from Zora healed as he pulled out the sword and handed it back to Eevie. "I did what I felt was prudent," Came his reply to the assassin. "Less of us means less when we are finally standing in front of Arcade."

Shang Tsung stroked his beard casually. Not seeming to non-plussed about the situation. "I believe you need to calm yourself, but I do agree. We need to continue. An open place like this is not good for us if our shadow decides to reveal itself."

@Atomic Knight @Takumi @Lucky @Space_Candy
 
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